Japanese monk looks to wow Paltan fans in PKL

CHENNAI: There's a calmness about Japanese monk Takamitsu Kono, but that's when he is off court. This third-generation monk - who represented Japan in last year's Kabaddi World Cup in India - is part of the Puneri Paltan side for the fifth season of the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League. His first brush with the sport occurred while studying Buddhism at the Taisho University in Japan. "The first time I played the sport was when I was 18, and since then it was impossible for me to not play kabaddi," Kono, who is looking to make an impression in the PKL, told TOI. Much before kabaddi became an integral part of his life, Kono was growing up to become a monk. Hailing from a family of monks, Kono would accompany his father during prayers. At 20, he became a monk and as part of his curriculum, Kono spent a couple of months at a monastery on Mount Hiei. He adhered to a strict way of life, but that never stopped Kono from embracing kabaddi. "I am a priest during the day and a kabaddi player after sunset. My daily routine requires me to perform prayers at the temple and handle its administration work," Kono said. Meditation - an important part of a monk's life - has been well utilized by the 24-year-old in kabaddi as well. "Meditation helps me stay calm during crunch situations and allows me to refocus on the game better. But to be honest, on the mat I am a kabaddi player; off the mat I am a monk. I do meditation for a short while before every match which helps me to calm my mind and body," Kono said. During his growing up years, it was rugby that fascinated him - before settling for kabaddi. It's a contact sport, but Kono never loses his cool while playing. "The training of a monk has taught me to be kind and polite to everyone, on and off the mat. Although kabaddi is a contact sport, I show a controlled aggression which has a lot to do with me being a monk," he said. While Kono considers sharp eyesight as one his strengths, he is quick to point out areas which need improvement. "I think I need to work on skill training and gain more weight," he said. Kono felt kabaddi is slowly gaining popularity in Japan. "It was not a popular sport in Japan but is picking up pace now thanks to the World Cup last year. There are more university teams in Japan. If more and more Japanese players start playing in Pro Kabaddi League, it will help the sport gain popularity back home," said Kono.